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Security Information

Your Security is Important
to Kern Schools

At Kern Schools, we are dedicated to keeping your personal and financial information safe and secure. To help you keep current on the latest happenings in the world of fraud and security, we provide the information and resources below. Please periodically check back for new security alerts and information, and be sure to contact us if you feel your identity or financial information may be in jeopardy.

Many states allow the big three bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — to charge a fee for placing or lifting a security freeze. But thanks to a federal law enacted earlier this year, after Sept. 21, 2018 it will be free to freeze and unfreeze your credit file and those of your children or dependents… View Article

Credit Monitoring Reviews & Prices There are a lot of ways to get your credit scores and credit reports and a lot of credit report monitoring services out there. The reality is that most of them are the same services repackaged by different companies. NextAdvisor.com’s editors have researched and tried all of them. We’ve created… View Article

Only one website is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law — annualcreditreport.com. Other websites that claim to offer “free credit reports,” “free credit scores,” or “free credit monitoring” are not part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program. In some cases, the “free”… View Article

There are many scammers who pretend to be government officials – from the IRS, Social Security, and even the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The latest twist is an email from – supposedly – the Secretary of State. In the email, someone pretending to be Secretary Tillerson says you’re owed a payment – which he knows… View Article

Credit Monitoring Reviews & Prices

There are a lot of ways to get your credit scores and credit reports
and a lot of credit report monitoring services out there. The reality is that most of them are the same services repackaged by different companies. NextAdvisor.com’s editors have researched and tried all of them. We’ve created the below comparison and reviews for only the services that we have found offer the best features and information at the best price. We selected these credit report monitoring services because each of them offers something valuable at a better price than you can find elsewhere. All of our recommended services provide email alerts within 24 hours of a change to your credit report and are run by large, reputable companies. Looking for free scores? Just sign up for one of the services with a free trial and cancel before the trial period ends.

Kern Schools Federal Credit Union provides the information in this article for educational purposes only. Kern Schools Federal Credit Union is not responsible for the products or recommendations provided by the above article, nor any business transactions conducted between the Member and any vendors listed on this page.

Federal Trade Commission

Student Loan Scams Alert

Please read this alert from the FTC if you have student loans and considering assistance in managing the debt.

Some companies claim to resolve that issue by saying they can help you pay them down quicker, cheaper or get them forgiven altogether. Be cautious – some of these companies are running scams. Here are some tips to avoid student loan repayment scams:

Never pay an upfront fee. It’s illegal for companies to charge you in advance before helping you to reduce or get rid of your student loan debt. Companies that make you pay upfront might give you no help and not give your money back.

Only scammers promise fast loan forgiveness. Before they know your situation, scammers might say they can quickly get rid of your loans through a loan forgiveness program. But they can’t.

A Department of Education seal doesn’t mean it’s legit. Scammers use official-looking names and logos and say they have special access to certain federal programs. They don’t.

Don’t share your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID with anyone. Scammers could use it to take control of your personal financial aid information on U.S. Department of Education websites.

You don’t have to pay for help with your student loans. There’s nothing a company can do for you that you cannot do yourself for free: federal borrowers can start withStudentAid.gov/repay; private borrowers can start by talking with their loan servicer.

Federal Trade Commission

How to Keep Your Personal Information Secure

Protecting your personal information can help reduce your risk of identity theft. There are four main ways to do it: know who you share information with; store and dispose of your personal information securely, especially your Social Security number; ask questions before deciding to share your personal information; and maintain appropriate security on your computers and other electronic devices.

MyCreditUnion.gov

Prevent Identify Theft

Here are a few basic steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft and pretext calling. Identity theft is the fraudulent use of a person’s personal identifying information. Often, identity thieves will use another person’s personal information, such as a Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, date of birth, or account number to open fraudulent new credit card accounts, charge existing credit card accounts, write share drafts, open share accounts, or obtain new loans. They may obtain this information by:

Kern Schools Federal Credit Union provides the information listed on the “Security Information” page for educational purposes only. Kern Schools Federal Credit Union is not responsible for the products or recommendations provided by the above information security articles, nor any business transactions conducted between the Member and any vendors listed on this page.

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At Kern Schools you are not a customer — you are a Member! Stop by your nearest Kern County location today and receive all the benefits of belonging.